Pedal attachment.



' J. sIMMoNDs. PEDAL ATTACHMENT.

APPLIGATION FILED AUG. 1s. 1907.

WTNEJJEJ. T

vPATENTED MAR. 3, 1908.

JULIUS SIMMONDS, OF UTIOA, NEW YORK.

PEDAL ATTACHMENT.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented March 3, 1908.

Application filed August 16| 1907. Serial No. 388.807.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULrUs SrMMoNDs, a citizen of the United States, residing at the city of Utica, in the county of Oneida and State of New York, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Pedal Attachments, of` which the following is a specification, reference being had therein to the accompanying drawing.

My invention relates to an improved pedal attachment for pianos, organs and other instruments provided with pedals, and I declare the following is a full, clear, concise and exact description thereof, sufiicient to enable one skilled in the art to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings in which like letters refer to like parts throughout.

My invention consists in a device to be used on pianos, organs andother instruments provided with pedals, and its purpose is to provide a simple attachment which can be readily secured to a piano or similar instrument by means of which the opening in the case of the instrument immediately below the pedal may be always closed, at the same time allowing the pedal to be depressed by the foot when operating the instrument, thus preventing the entrance through the said opening of dust, dirt, mice, vermin and any other objectionable things.

Another function of my device is that it acts as an additional spring upon the pedals, raising them back into position when the foot-pressure is removed.

The features of my invention make it possible for the device to be attached to the instrument in a secure manner without upsetting the iano or other instrument and requiring on y the removal of a panel or portion of the case at the lower portion of the case of the instrument. The device cannot be displaced by the foot when operating the pedals, is not exposed to view from any point above the pedals, and is adaptable to the usual construction of all pedals on pianos and other similar instruments, as is more fully described hereinafter and specified in the accom anying claims.

In the awings, Figure l is a top view of the bottom of a piano or similar instrument, showing the pedal B, its support D, and the inner end of the attachment as it is secured to the upper side of the piano bottom. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional view of the lower front part of a piano on the line nearly right angles downwardly and extends far enough to cover the opening in the front of the case.

B represents the pedal of the piano or similar instrument g c represents the opening in the piano case immediately under the pedal and in which the pedal moves up and down; D represents the standards and axle used in the usual method of construction which support the pedal; c and F are screws or tacks or nails by means of which the device A is secured to the upper side of the bottom board G of the piano case.

I-I is a portion of the front of the case of the piano or similar instrument.

To attach the device A, one removes the front portion H, of the piano, or obtains access to the inside of the case ink any other suitable way, the device A is inserted under the pedal and its axle or fulcrum pin and between l the standards supporting the same; the Hat end a of the device A is then secured to the bottom' board of the piano case, as shown in Figs. 1' and 2, by means of screws,` tacks, nails or similar means, so that the end a of the device A will cover the opening C and at the same time pass downward and outside of the front of the case below the opening when the pedal is depressed. In the drawings I show two screws as means for attaching the device, but my invention is not limited to these as either one or more nails, tacks, brads or similar means are just as Asuitable. For instance, the end of the device may be bent in a prong to be driven into the bottom board, as seen in Fig. 4. It will thus be seen that,` when the pedal is depressed, the downwardly extending end a of the device A will pass downward on the outside of the front of the piano case and when the pedal is released by the foot and springs back to its normal position the device A also springs back, remaining in contact with the underside of the pedal and the downwardly extending end c of the device A keeps the opening under the pedal closed.

The device is simple and can be used on pianos and similar instruments of the ordinary arrangement of pedals not only by manufacturers on new pianos, but by any one on pianos already in use.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is:

`1. In a piano7 a casing, pedals and pedal openings, a guard for closing the opening beneath the pedal, the saine consisting of'a spring attached at one end to the upper si'de of they bottom ofi the' case of the instrument and extending outward and upward into contact with the under side of the'pedal, the

other end extending downward and coveringv the said opening, substantially as described.`

2. In a piano, a casing rovided' with open# ings for pedals, and peda s; means for closing the openinfT belowthe pedal consistingofl a flat spring iaving one end bent downwardly below the )edal and having one or -more'apertures in tie other end, said end having a prong for holding the spring to the piano ottom, substantially as described.

3. In a piano, the combination with a-oase and pedals projecting from the case throu h openings therein, of means forclosing t e opening beneath the pedals consisting of a spring bent at one end upward to engage the underside of the pedal and then downward to close the said opening, the other end being secured to the inner side of the piano case, substantially as described.

4. A guard for closing the pedal-openingin a piano consisting of a spring fastened to the inside o the' piano case by prong means bedded in the piano bottom and securing means through th'e` guard near itsinner end and at its outer 'end bearing on' the under side o'tle pedal,y thesaid s comprising al portion'fercoveringsaic ho at said outer end` of' thef'gu'ardf, substantia-ll vasdescribed.

5i1 In a pianox having per als" projecting from theeasathereof, a memberadapted to closethe openings in the case when the pedals are elevated, th'e'same consisting ofa sprin'gJmouI-Ited-'fwithinthe piano and extendin' rinfa bent extremity into `contact with t" e pedaland thence'v downwardly in front of and adapted to cover the pedal opening",4 substantially asdescribed.l In testimony vwhereof I aiix my signature inpresen'ce of two witnesses. Y

. JULIUS SIMMONDS. Witnesses:

ETH'L POPE,YT L ELEANORE T. DitA GIORQI. 

